


Best Friends Fur-Ever

by MykEsprit



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gift Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25090192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MykEsprit/pseuds/MykEsprit
Summary: A lonely Crookshanks makes a new friend.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 25
Kudos: 224
Collections: LoveDump 2020





	Best Friends Fur-Ever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NuclearNik](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuclearNik/gifts), [LadyKenz347](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKenz347/gifts).



> A gift fic for the lovely Nik and Toni :*

Crookshanks rolled onto his back, not caring that his soft belly lay exposed to the world. No beast would have dared to bother him. He was, to put it crassly, “top dog” at Hogwarts.

He sniffed irritably. There were no dogs around these parts—not anymore. There had only been that mangy mutt with his matted black fur and flea-bitten ears and an annoying, whiny bark—

Grunting heavily, Crookshanks curled to his side. His legs flopped unceremoniously on a knotted root of his favorite lounging tree. _I miss him_ , he thought. Sure, they were an unlikely pair, what with Crookshanks being undoubtedly the cleverest feline in existence whilst that creature was often more overgrown pup than man. Still, they had such adventures together; and Crookshanks particularly loved the nights they had spent trying to kill that old wizard-rat.

But it had been days and days since he had seen his companion. And everyone in the castle was such a _bore_ —excluding, of course, his mistress. She was, however, often busy with her own Problems. (He can’t be bothered to learn their names. Everyone wanted to kill Problem 1, so there was no point in getting to know him if he was likely to be dead by end of term. And Problem 2 was a hopeless cause—he, too, was probably going to die before summer, but only due to his own stupidity.)

It was quite alright with Crookshanks. What he really needed was a best friend, and as much as he loved his mistress, he couldn’t possibly go around the castle calling her that. That would be like saying one’s mum was their best friend. How terribly embarrassing.

Loneliness settled on him like a blanket. Between that and the warm sunlight filtering through the leaves above him, his eyelids grew heavy. He was on the cusp of sleep—

A surprised yelp.

Crookshanks’ ear perked up.

“—That is a student!” a familiar voice screeched. The cat professor. They hadn’t had too many interactions. She usually kept a cool distance from Crookshanks—a fine idea, since she probably didn’t want to fall for his charms or good looks, both of which were naturally potent. But she often prowled the halls at night to guard the students, and that earned her Crookshanks’ respect.

Mortified gasps rippled through the courtyard. Dutifully, Crookshanks peeled one eye open.

The cat professor’s dumbfounded expression would have been comical, had it not been for her ghostly pallor. “Come back here!” she cried just as a streak of white flashed by Crookshanks.

In a heartbeat, Crookshanks was on his feet. His hunter’s instinct washed over him, and he let nature power his legs and guide his nose. A student, she had said. Well, finding him would at least fill the next several minutes.

He followed the heavy musk that trailed in the air. It led him down a surprisingly long path that brought him face-to-face with a closed door. Just beyond, he knew, was a large storage cupboard that held Mrs. Norris’ person’s brooms. Crookshanks eyed the gap between the door and the stone floor, and then glanced back at his rounded rump. There was absolutely no way he could shimmy through the narrow space as the creature had.

But he wasn’t the cleverest creature at Hogwarts for nothing—and within the space of a breath, he had bounded up the wall and pounced at an angle towards the curved door handle. The door squeaked open. Crookshanks landed deftly on his paws, and he sauntered through the opening with his tail proudly in the air.

A nervous scuffle came from the forest of brooms inside the cupboard. Crookshanks weaved through the handles until he found him—a long mass of white fur, nearly vibrating from horror and shock. He stared at Crookshanks with unadulterated fear in his beady eyes.

He needed to get him back out to the cat professor...but from the looks of it, the student-creature might either die from fright or dash in a panic out into the grounds, never to be seen again.

Crookshanks relaxed his body, trying to make himself as small as he could. He inched his way closer and closer to the creature, who backed himself into a corner. When Crookshanks was within reach, the creature scuttled towards the door—

With a lightning reflex, Crookshanks pawed him to the ground and pounced on him. The creature squealed and fought, but Crookshanks...well, Crookshanks had a healthy appetite and a mistress who was generous with snacks. 

As the creature thumped and whaled, Crookshanks settled deeper into his unwilling mattress. He began to purr—which might have done the trick, for the more he purred, the less the creature fumbled—until finally, the creature succumbed to the soothing vibrations. They lay there for a few minutes as Crookshanks felt the fight leave the creature’s limbs.

Crookshanks shifted until he found the creature’s pointed face. His expression spelled defeat and dread—

And loneliness.

Crookshanks blinked. He supposed even student-creatures needed best friends, too. He bumped his head against the creature’s face, nuzzling him a while longer. 

When it felt like the creature had fallen into a light slumber, Crookshanks got up and picked him up by the scruff. As Crookshanks carried him through the halls and out into the courtyard, the creature went willingly, his long body dragging on the ground.

* * *

  
  
  


“Why does he do that?” Hermione yawned as she rolled over to face him.

“What?” Draco asked sleepily. The mound of ginger fur burrowed deeper into his side.

“He always cuddles up next to you instead of coming to me.” She reached for Crookshanks and ran a hand down his curled back. “You’re _my_ familiar, don’t you forget.”

“It’s because we’re best friends.” Draco patted Crookshanks’ head before leaning to peck Hermione’s lips. “Don’t be jealous.”

Hermione laughed softly. “I’ll try not to be.”

  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
